JP4046885B2 - Sphere cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sphere cleaning device for cleaning golf balls, baseballs, and the like, and a sphere polishing device for polishing golf balls, baseballs, etc. In particular, a large amount of spheres can be efficiently cleaned or polished. The present invention relates to a spherical body cleaning device that has a simple shape and can be configured at low cost.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a golf driving range or a batting center, it is necessary to efficiently wash or polish a large number of repeatedly used training balls.
[0003]
Conventionally, for cleaning the practice balls, a sphere cleaning device is used in which the cleaning liquid and the practice balls are put into a cleaning tank containing a brush, and the brushes are rotated to stir the cleaning liquid and the practice balls.
[0004]
For example, JP-A-6-292742 discloses a rotating brush driven by a motor in a box-shaped frame (cleaning tank), and a stopper that supports the ball in the cleaning tank so as to be partially immersed in the cleaning liquid. And a ball cleaner having guide means for pressing the ball supported by the stopper against the rotating brush.
[0005]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-1000022 includes a cylindrical cleaning tank filled with a cleaning liquid and a cleaning brush made of a peripheral brush planted on the peripheral surface, and a spiral guide provided along the inner surface of the cleaning tank; The other end side of the cleaning tank while the spherical body introduced into the cleaning tank from the inlet formed at one end of the cleaning tank is brought into contact with the inner surface of the cleaning tank with a cleaning brush with a spiral guide as a guide The spherical body washing | cleaning apparatus which was sent to No. 2 and discharged | emitted from the exit formed in the other end part of this washing tank is described.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The ball washer described in JP-A-6-292742 is provided for a player to wash a game ball during a game, and is not suitable for washing a large number of balls.
[0007]
In addition, according to the sphere cleaning apparatus described in the above-mentioned JP-A-7-100289, a large amount of spheres can be continuously cleaned by successively introducing spheres into one end of the cleaning tank. Since the spiral guide having a complicated part shape is provided, there is a problem that it is expensive.
[0008]
The sphere cleaning device according to the present invention is made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a sphere cleaning device that can efficiently clean a large amount of spheres at a low price.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve this object, the present invention first uses a cleaning brush comprising an end surface brush planted on the end surface of a disk-shaped substrate, and is a flat plate disposed at a predetermined interval from the tip of the cleaning brush. The technical means of providing a ball receiving member made of is adopted.
[0010]
If the ball is inserted between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member and the cleaning brush is rotated, the ball can be cleaned or polished with the cleaning brush while rolling the ball on the ball receiving member. A spiral guide having a simple shape is not necessary, and a flat ball receiving member having a simple shape may be provided in place of the cylindrical cleaning tank, so that a significant cost reduction can be achieved.
[0011]
Further, the present invention provides a peripheral wall surrounding the periphery of the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member, and an inlet formed by cutting out a part of the peripheral wall, and a central portion of the cleaning brush. And an outlet opened in the ball receiving member.
[0012]
By providing the peripheral wall in this way, the sphere put in the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member from the entrance is prevented from jumping out of the space, and the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member is introduced from the entrance. The inserted sphere is reliably cleaned or polished.
[0013]
In addition, a part of the peripheral wall is notched to form an inlet, and an outlet is opened in the ball receiving member so as to face the central portion of the cleaning brush, so that a sphere is introduced into the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member. There is no need to provide an inlet (or outlet) at the center of the cleaning brush, the shape of the cleaning brush and the support structure of the cleaning brush can be simplified, and the cost can be further greatly reduced.
[0014]
Furthermore, the present invention provides a technical means that an inlet guide is provided for introducing a sphere introduced from the inlet into a space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member in a direction inclined with respect to the normal line of the cleaning brush. Is adopted.
[0015]
As a result, compared with the case where the sphere is introduced in the normal direction of the cleaning brush from the entrance to the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member, the sphere is less likely to be repelled by the rotation of the cleaning brush, and the sphere is smoothly removed from the entrance. It becomes possible to introduce into the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member.
[0016]
In addition, the present invention employs a technical means in which an additional brush is provided opposite to the cleaning brush so that the tip of the hair moves at a faster speed than the tip of the cleaning brush.
[0017]
As a result, the sphere introduced into the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member from the entrance is pulled and sandwiched between the cleaning brush and the additional brush by the additional brush, and then securely received by the cleaning brush and the receiving brush. It is fed into the space between the ball members and is surely cleaned.
[0018]
The follow-up brush of the present invention may be provided so as to face the entire surface of the cleaning brush, but a sphere is sandwiched between the cleaning brush and the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member is forcibly disposed. It is sufficient to provide a part of the cleaning brush so as to exert the feeding function, and it is advantageous in terms of cost to provide the part facing the part of the cleaning brush. As a follow-up brush provided to face a part of the cleaning brush, in order to exert a function of forcing the sphere between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member by sandwiching the sphere between this and the cleaning brush, A circumferential brush that rotates about an axis parallel to the end face of the cleaning brush is used.
[0019]
In addition, the material of the hair of the cleaning brush and the additional brush of the present invention is not particularly limited, and for example, organic fibers such as plant fibers, animal fibers, and synthetic fibers, and inorganic fibers such as metal fibers and ceramic fibers may be used. Is possible.
[0020]
Moreover, the length of the bristle of the cleaning brush and the additional brush of the present invention, the flocking density and the like are not particularly limited, and may be appropriately selected in consideration of the rigidity or flexibility of the hair material used.
[0021]
Further, the cleaning brush and the follow-up brush of the present invention include those using a sponge or buff instead of the hair.
[0022]
By the way, in the sphere cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the supply of the sphere between the ball receiving member and the cleaning brush may be performed manually, but a large number of spheres can be input at a time, It is preferable to provide a spherical body supply device that is appropriately divided and supplied between the ball receiving member and the cleaning brush.
[0023]
As this sphere supply device, a simple lower hopper may be used. However, in order to attach the cleaning liquid to the sphere immediately before being supplied between the ball receiving member and the cleaning brush, the cleaning liquid is placed below the hopper. It is preferable to provide a cleaning liquid chamber for storing the sphere so that the sphere falling from the hopper is immersed in the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid chamber.
[0024]
In this case, providing the hopper and the cleaning liquid chamber so as to overlap each other is advantageous because the configuration can be simplified and the laying area can be reduced.
[0025]
In this case, since at least a part of the sphere sinks below the surface of the cleaning liquid, an elevator may be provided to scoop up the sphere from the cleaning liquid and supply it to the entrance in order to eliminate the flow of the cleaning liquid. preferable.
[0026]
Of course, it is not essential for the present invention to attach the cleaning liquid to the sphere immediately before being supplied between the ball receiving member and the cleaning brush, and means for supplying the cleaning liquid to the space between the ball receiving member and the cleaning brush. The cleaning liquid may be attached to the sphere fed into the space between the ball receiving member and the cleaning brush while being dried.
[0027]
Alternatively, the cleaning liquid may be attached to the sphere in advance using a sphere supply device, and the cleaning liquid may be rinsed off by applying water to the sphere fed into the space between the ball receiving member and the cleaning brush.
[0028]
In the present invention, the cleaning liquid includes a liquid not containing a detergent, a detergent solution, and a detergent stock solution, and water is typically used as the liquid not containing the detergent. The detergent solution includes those using water as a solvent and those using other solvents, and the detergent includes an alkaline detergent, an acidic detergent, and a neutral detergent.
[0029]
By the way, in the sphere cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the sphere may be so-called dry wiped without using the cleaning liquid. Including this case, when the cleaning liquid is not used in the sphere cleaning device of the present invention, the treatment performed by the sphere cleaning device is more suitable than polishing. Accordingly, the present invention may be referred to as a spherical polishing device, particularly when no cleaning liquid is used.
[0030]
When polishing the spheres according to the present invention, so-called polishing materials may be used. Examples of the polishing materials include natural polishing materials such as clays represented by dolomite, cinnabar, talc, and microcrystalline anhydrous silicic acid. And artificial polishing materials such as iron oxide, chromium oxide, cesium oxide, calcined alumina, calcined dolomite, glass powder, and other fine powders of high hardness substances. This polishing material is often in the form of a dry powder, but it can be used in the form of a powder with moderate humidity, or even if this polishing material is mixed with water or other solvent and used in a liquid form. Good.
[0031]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A spherical body cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0032]
A spherical body cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is an application of the present invention to a golf ball cleaning apparatus. As shown in a longitudinal side view of FIG. 1, a front view of FIG. 2, and a plan view of FIG. An apparatus main body 1, a sphere supply device 3, and a chute 2 for guiding a sphere 4 (shown in FIG. 2) made of a golf ball from the sphere supply device 3 to the cleaning device main body 1 are provided.
[0033]
The cleaning device main body 1 has a horizontal flat plate-shaped ball receiving member 12 supported by four legs 11 and a predetermined interval slightly smaller than the diameter of the sphere 4 made of a golf ball on the upper surface of the ball receiving member 12. And a cleaning brush 13 consisting of an end face brush arranged so that the hair tip moves in the surface direction of the ball receiving member 12, and the tip of the cleaning brush 13 facing the cleaning brush 13. And a push-in brush 14 whose hair tips move at a high speed.
[0034]
On the upper surface of the ball receiving member 12, an arc-shaped peripheral wall 15 having substantially the same diameter as the outer diameter of the cleaning brush 13 is erected, and a part of the peripheral wall 15 is notched so that the ball receiving member 12, the cleaning brush 13, and An inlet 16 for supplying the sphere 4 is opened in a space defined by the peripheral wall 15. Further, an outlet 17 for discharging the cleaned sphere 4 from the space defined by the ball receiving member 12, the cleaning brush 13 and the peripheral wall 15 is opened at the center of the ball receiving member 12.
[0035]
The inlet 16 includes an inlet guide 16a that guides the sphere rolling from the chute 2 to the cleaning brush 13 in a direction inclined with respect to the normal line thereof, and the inlet guide 16a rotates the sphere on the outer periphery of the cleaning brush 13 in the rotation direction. Thus, the ball is rolled back into the space between the ball receiving member 12 and the cleaning brush 13 without being rebounded on the outer periphery of the cleaning brush 13 by guiding it so that it rolls in from an oblique direction without reversing.
[0036]
The cleaning brush 14 is supported by a central portion of a top plate 19 supported by the ball receiving member 12 via four strut devices 18 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis, and is unidirectionally driven by a motor 20, for example, FIG. In the clockwise direction.
[0037]
Each strut device 18 has a nut 18 a fixed to the ball receiving member 12, a strut 18 b made of a screw shaft screwed to the nut 18 a, and is fixed to the strut 18 b and supports the corner of the top plate 19. Sprockets 18c, and endless chains 18d are wound around the sprockets 18c of the respective strut devices 18 so that the sprockets 18c and the struts 18b of the respective strut devices 18 are rotated in synchronization with each other and supported by the sprockets 18c of the respective strut devices 18. The top plate 19 is moved in parallel up and down.
[0038]
Each support 18b extends upward from the sprocket 18c, passes through the corner of the top plate 19, and protrudes upward. And after adjusting the height of the top plate 19 with respect to the ball receiving member 12 and the washing | cleaning brush 13 according to the diameter of the spherical body 4 by rotating the sprocket 18c and the support | pillar 18b of each support | pillar apparatus 18 synchronously, this support | pillar The top plate 19 and the cleaning brush 13 can be fixed at an adjusted height with respect to the ball receiving member 12 by tightening a fixing nut 18e screwed to the upper end of 18b.
[0039]
By the way, the follow-up brush 14 is disposed on the lower side in the rotation direction of the cleaning brush 13 relative to the inlet 16 and as close to the inlet 16 as possible, and rotates around a horizontal axis parallel to the radial direction of the cleaning brush 13. It is comprised with the surrounding surface brush provided so that the upper peripheral part was exposed on the ball receiving member 12. FIG. The follow-up brush 14 is moved from the tip of the cleaning brush 13 in the same direction as the tip of the cleaning brush 13 by the motor 21 supported by the leg 11 in the upper peripheral portion thereof. Even the hair tips are driven to move at a fast speed.
[0040]
The push-in brush 14 holds the sphere 4 that has naturally rolled from the entrance 16 to the push-in brush 14 with a momentum to roll down the chute 2 between the push-in brush 14 and the cleaning brush 13. It is urged and reliably fed into the space between the cleaning brush 13 and the ball receiving member 12.
[0041]
When a large number of spheres 4 are sequentially fed from the entrance 16 to the space between the cleaning brush 13 and the ball receiving member 12, the spheres 4 that have been fed in first are rolled in the direction of rotation by the cleaning brush 13 later. It is pushed by the sphere 4 fed in and gradually moves to the center of the cleaning brush 13, falls downward from the outlet 17, and is collected in the collection case 23.
[0042]
The sphere supply device 3 includes an elevator chamber 31 and a hopper 32 and a cleaning liquid chamber 33 arranged so as to overlap vertically on one side thereof, and the hopper 32 receives a large amount of spheres 4 at a time. It has an upper surface 34 that is fully open, a single-flow inclined bottom surface 35 that becomes lower on the side opposite to the elevator chamber 31, and a falling ball opening 36 that opens at the inclined tip of the single-flow inclined bottom surface 35. Further, the cleaning liquid chamber 33 has a single-flow inclined bottom surface 37 that becomes lower on the elevator chamber 31 side, and the sphere 4 that has fallen from the falling ball opening 36 of the hopper 32 on the opposite side of the elevator chamber 31 rolls on the single-flow inclined bottom surface 37. In this way, it goes to the elevator room 31.
[0043]
Since a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid is stored in the cleaning liquid chamber 33 and the elevator chamber 31, the cleaning liquid adheres to the surface of the sphere 4 while the sphere 4 rolls on the one-flow inclined bottom surface 37 of the cleaning liquid chamber 33 toward the elevator chamber 31. Will do.
[0044]
An elevator 38 that picks up the sphere 4 that has been rolled into the elevator chamber 31, lifts it to a position higher than the upper surface of the hopper 32, and discharges it to the chute 2 at a position higher than the upper surface of the hopper 32 is disposed in the elevator chamber 31. The
[0045]
The elevator 38 includes a pair of rotary shafts 38a and 38b arranged in parallel in the elevator chamber 31 with appropriate intervals in the vertical direction, and sprockets 38c and 38d fixed to both ends of the rotary shafts 38a and 38b. A pair of chains 38e wound around a pair of upper and lower sprockets 38c, 38d, a comb-shaped rack 38f connected to the pair of chains 38e with a predetermined pitch, and an outside of the elevator chamber 31. And a motor 38g for driving the upper rotating shaft 38a.
[0046]
A comb-shaped ball catching guide 39 is provided below the elevator chamber 31 so as to be continuous with the single-flow inclined bottom surface 37 of the cleaning liquid chamber 33, and rolls on the single-flow inclined bottom surface 37 of the cleaning liquid chamber 33 to enter the elevator chamber 31. The spherical body 4 is surely scooped up to the rack 38f.
[0047]
The sphere 4 scooped up by the rack 38f is discharged to the chute 2 when the rack 38f is inverted at the upper part in the elevator chamber 31. In order to reliably guide the sphere 4 discharged from the rack 38 f to the chute 2, a comb-shaped discharge guide 40 is provided in the upper part of the elevator chamber 31.
[0048]
The sphere 4 released from the elevator 38 is guided to the chute 2 and travels toward the entrance 16 of the cleaning apparatus main body 1, and the space defined by the peripheral wall 15, the receiving member 12 and the cleaning brush 13 from the entrance 16. Roll in. And it is caught by the hair | bristle tip of the cleaning brush 13, moves in this space, and is inserted | pinched between the cleaning brush 13 and the additional brush 14 soon.
[0049]
Since the bristles of the cleaning brush 13 and the bristles on the upper peripheral portion of the push-in brush 14 move in the same direction, the sphere 4 receives almost no resistance between the wash brush 13 and the push-in brush 14. Since the moving speed of the hair tip of the cleaning brush 13 is faster than the moving speed of the hair tip of the upper peripheral portion of the push-in brush 14, the upper side of the sphere 4 is the movement of the hair tip of the cleaning brush 13. A rotational force in the direction of traveling in the direction is given, and the rotational force of the spherical body 4 starts to rotate in the direction in which the upper side of the sphere 4 travels in the moving direction of the hair tip of the cleaning brush 13. Since the rotation of the sphere 4 is facilitated by the rotation of the cleaning brush 13, the rotation of the sphere 4 continues to some extent even after the sphere 4 gets over the push-in brush 14. Then, as the sphere 4 rotates, the entire surface of the sphere 4 rubs against the cleaning brush 13 evenly, or in addition, rubs against the additional brush 14 and is cleaned while being efficiently brushed. It will be. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent a part of the surface of the sphere 4 from being insufficiently cleaned, and the entire surface of the sphere 4 can be cleaned efficiently.
[0050]
In this cleaning apparatus body 1, the end 15 a of the peripheral wall 15 on the upper side of the entrance 16 can be advanced and retracted toward the rotational axis of the cleaning brush 13. When the amount of the sphere 4 rolling into the space defined by the ball receiving member 12 and the cleaning brush 13 is small, the end 15 a of the peripheral wall 15 on the upper side of the entrance 16 is directed toward the rotational axis of the cleaning brush 13. If there are many, the end 15a of the peripheral wall 15 on the upper side of the entrance 16 is kept away from the rotational axis of the cleaning brush 13.
[0051]
Further, in the cleaning apparatus main body 1, a liquid supply pipe 41 that communicates with a space defined by the peripheral wall 15, the ball receiving member 12, and the cleaning brush 13 is provided. If necessary, the cleaning liquid is supplied via the liquid supply pipe 41. Alternatively, water can be supplied into the space.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the spherical body cleaning device of the present invention uses a cleaning brush composed of an end surface brush planted on the end surface of a disk-shaped substrate, and is arranged at a predetermined interval from the tip of the cleaning brush. Since the ball receiving member made of a flat plate is provided, the ball can be washed or polished with the cleaning brush while rolling on the ball receiving member by inserting the sphere between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member and rotating the cleaning brush. In addition, a spiral guide having a complicated shape is not required, and a flat ball receiving member having a simple shape may be provided in place of the cylindrical cleaning tank, so that a significant cost reduction can be achieved.
[0053]
Further, the present invention provides a peripheral wall surrounding the periphery of the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member, so that the sphere placed in the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member can jump out of the space from the entrance. The sphere inserted into the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member from the inlet is reliably cleaned or polished, and a part of this peripheral wall is cut away to form the inlet and face the center of the cleaning brush Since the outlet is opened in the ball receiving member, it is not necessary to provide an inlet (or outlet) for introducing a sphere into the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member in the central portion of the cleaning brush. The support structure of the cleaning brush can be simplified, and the cost can be greatly reduced.
[0054]
Furthermore, the present invention is provided with an inlet guide for introducing a sphere introduced into the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member from the inlet in a direction inclined with respect to the normal line of the cleaning brush. Compared to the case where the sphere is introduced in the normal direction of the cleaning brush into the space between the brush and the ball receiving member, the sphere is less likely to be repelled by the rotation of the cleaning brush, and the sphere is smoothly moved from the entrance to the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member. The sphere supplied to the inlet can be reliably introduced into the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member and cleaned.
[0055]
In addition, the present invention is provided with a push-in brush that is opposed to the cleaning brush and moves at a faster speed than the tip of the cleaning brush. After the sphere introduced into the space is drawn and sandwiched between the cleaning brush and the additional brush by the additional brush, it is surely sent into the space between the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member, and more reliably It will be washed.
[0056]
In short, according to the sphere cleaning device of the present invention, a large amount of spheres can be efficiently cleaned or polished, and the shape of the parts can be simple and inexpensive.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
3 spherical body supply device 4 spherical body 12 ball receiving member 13 cleaning brush 14 additional brush 15 peripheral wall 16 inlet 16a inlet guide 17 outlet 32 hopper 33 cleaning liquid chamber 38 elevator

Claims (3)

A cleaning brush comprising an end face brush planted on the end face of a disk-shaped substrate, a ball receiving member comprising a flat plate arranged at a predetermined interval from the tip of the cleaning brush, and the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member A peripheral wall surrounding the periphery of the space, an inlet formed by cutting out a part of the peripheral wall, an outlet opened in the ball receiving member so as to face the central portion of the cleaning brush, and the cleaning brush and the ball receiving member from the inlet An inlet guide that guides the sphere introduced into the space between the cleaning brush and a direction inclined with respect to the normal line of the cleaning brush, and the tip of the tip is opposed to the cleaning brush so that the tip of the tip is faster than the tip of the cleaning brush. A sphere cleaning device, characterized in that a moving-in brush is provided. A hopper from which the sphere is introduced and from which the sphere is dropped from the lower end, a cleaning liquid chamber for storing the cleaning liquid and receiving the sphere falling from the hopper, and an elevator for scooping the sphere from the cleaning liquid and supplying it to the entrance A sphere cleaning device according to claim 1, comprising a sphere supply device comprising: The spherical body washing | cleaning apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 which provided the means to supply a washing | cleaning liquid to the space between a washing | cleaning brush and a ball receiving member.

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